Officials at Barksdale Air Force Base are considering opening a charter school, according to D.C. Machen, superintendent of Bossier Parish schools.

Only eight military installations in the United States have charter schools, including Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans in Belle Chasse.

A charter school could be opened on-base in two years; the local school board would need to approve its charter, reported KTBS. It also would need to admit the children of civilian families, which would require civilians to obtain security clearances.

In contrast, a DOD school, which the wing commander prefers, would not have to deal with the security issue. Establishing a DOD school, though, could take 10 years, as it requires congressional approval, according to the story.

Machen said that Bossier will continue to support Barksdale even if it pursues an on-base school.

“Our pledge to Barksdale Air Force Base and the military families and our community is that we will continue to remain engaged in our daily efforts of meeting the needs of our students and military families regardless of the decision that will be made related to that issue,” he said.